


Madness in great ones must not unwatched go

by Fandoms_ruined_me123



Series: Whumptober 2020 [8]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hallucinations, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Jason-centric, Lazarus Pit, Lazarus Pit Madness, M/M, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:56:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27142108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandoms_ruined_me123/pseuds/Fandoms_ruined_me123
Summary: When Jason woke up in the cave's holding cell he didn't know what to expect but he knew it couldn't have been anything good. The night before had been so hectic that he hadn't even had enough time to think about himself. All he was focused on was getting the Joker back to Arkham. By the time he realized that he should have paid more attention to himself it was too late.Whumptober Prompt 1: Waking up restrained
Relationships: But it can be read romantically or platonically, Kinda - Relationship, Roy Harper/Jason Todd
Series: Whumptober 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950364
Comments: 3
Kudos: 125





	Madness in great ones must not unwatched go

**Author's Note:**

> First, there was a fic with the Phantom of the Opera and now Hamlet. At this point, I feel like all my writing should have some obscure reference to some classical book, play, or musical. I mean I have more than enough options so it is kind of tempting the more that I think about it... Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoyed this!!
> 
> And as always thank you to my amazing beta Elise who is the sock you always pair me with. We're two different socks but we look similar enough so you think that no one will notice

The first thing Jason noticed when he awoke was the pain. All over he felt sore and he knew he had overexerted himself. His nuckles ached and felt as if he had punched someone wrong, that or a brick wall. His neck felt stiff and it hurt to move like he slept on it wrong or moved his head too quickly. All over he felt drained. His limbs felt like weights and it seemed hard to move, and then he realized he couldn’t. The second thing he noticed was the restraints. He shot his eyes open to see leather cuffs that chained his wrists and ankles down to the cot. His head thrashed around painfully as he began to take in as many details of the room as he could. The room was small, with sterile white walls on all four sides except for the one in front of him which had a large window and a door. The window was darkened so that whoever had kept him there could watch him without his knowledge. The door seemed plain enough other than the fact that it had no door handle. It became abundantly clear that whoever had trapped him in there did not want him escaping. He continued to scan the room until he saw him. His red hair, a drastic contrast to his stark white soundings made Jason want to cry in relief. He watched as he slowly sat up from his place on the floor next to the cot as he rubbed the remnants of sleep from his eyes. 

“Roy!” Jason coughed slightly as he cried out. His voice rough and horse as though he has been screaming for hours. “Thank god Roy you’ve got to get me out of here!”

“Woah Jason calm down!” Roy leapt to his feet as he looked down at Jason. His face full of concern as he kept twitching forward as if he wanted to wrap him up in his arms but wasn’t sure if he should. “You’re safe, you just need to focus on me ok,” 

“Where are we?” Roy hesitated, his mouth partly open as he started in Jason's eyes intently as if he was searching for something. 

“We’re in the holding cell in the cave,” He said slowly before he continued quickly. “You’re not in trouble or anything, it’s just a precaution.”

“Well can you get me out of these restraints? I don’t even remember what I’m in here for.” Again, Roy hesitated before he eventually leaned down and began to undo the restraints. Jason sat up slowly, holding his aching head in his hands lightly.

“You really don’t remember what happened do you?”

“No, I don’t. How long have I been in there and why is there a copy of Hamlet on the ground?” Roy looked away a little sheepishly before his face turned serious once more.

“You’ve been in here for a day. Try to think about what happened last night. I’ll explain it if you can’t, but are you sure you can’t remember anything?”

“No, Roy, I don’t! All I know is that I woke up chained to this bed and you’re acting really weird!” Roy took a step back as Jason snapped. His eyes full of worry before a relieved look came over his face. Jason looked away apologetically as he stared down at his legs. But his eyes were drawn to his arms. His knuckles were bloodied and bruised. Large but shallow lacerations ran up and down his arms. His nails were torn and covered in blood. Then he remembered everything.

When Bruce called an emergency, everyone had taken to the streets. Even Jason, who was planning on having a relaxing few hours before going to pick Roy up at the airport, shot to his feet. He changed into his gear and ran to the streets faster than he had ever done before. There were no jokes or laughter over the comms, only strict orders that were carried out silently. Everyone knew what the Joker was capable of doing and they knew he had to be sent back to Arkham immediately. They broke off into sections of the city, no streets went unwatched and no building unsearched. It was Barbara who found him in the end. She sent his location and everyone swarmed the building. By the time that Jason had made it across town, he was already in chains and was being led into the transport car to Arkham. 

As he entered the car he turned around, his eyes scanning the shadows until he saw Jason. His face lit up in a sinister smile. His red lips parted widely as his face contorted into a smile too big for his face. Then he began to laugh. A harsh and sudden sound that shook Jason to his core. It echoed through his ears until it was all he could hear. The laughter as he lay on the ground helpless, bloodied, broken. Even as he was pushed into the truck and the door slammed behind him, Jason could still hear the laughter. 

When he entered the cave everyone was on edge. They glanced over their shoulder as if they expected him to be there. It was too easy and they all knew that. He walked up to the computers where everyone had gathered around. Tim shook slightly, a small thing but it seeped through the strong facade he had put up. His fingers tapped against his thigh frantically as he glanced around, counting and recounting the exits in his mind. Barbara was like a steel wall. Her face blank as she stared ahead at the computers she was working on, not a shred of emotion on her face but determination. Everyone knew she was upset, but she never showed it. Out of everyone Duke was the most visibly agitated. For him to break out on a day when he visited his parents took a toll on him and everyone could see it. He seemed drained, like at any moment he would just drop to the floor and wouldn’t get up. But still, he had the same determined look on his face as all the others. Jason looked around at them and a flush of anger floated through him as he looked around at all the people who had been hurt by him. He was so angry that he didn’t even notice the slight tinge of green that seeped into the edge of his vision. 

Bruce stood next to Barbara as he replayed the security recording of that night. His face devoid of all emotion as he searched through the footage for any clues as to what he was planning next. Jason stood in the back, his hands forming into fists as he stared up at the screen. His face plastered over the screen. His twisted and deranged smile stared down at him. He was angry, no, furious. Furious that the man who had caused everyone there so much pain was allowed to live. That he continued to plague the earth with his existence. It was Bruce’s fault and Jason was sure of it. If he would just stop being a coward and do what was right then people would be alive. Duke’s parents would still be able to recognize their own son, Barbara would be able to walk, and he would be avenged. 

Suddenly he noticed the green that had begun to spread further into his vision. Their tendrils snaking across his sight as his mind slowly became twisted into thoughts he hadn’t had in months. Fumbling he pulled out his phone and began to frantically text Roy. He had informed him earlier that he needed to take a cab back to their shared apartment but he needed him here. He needed someone who knew what to do to be there with him. Jason knew the longer he stayed with the others the more danger he was putting them all in. His heart rate picked up speed up as he squeezed his eyes shut until he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. He could faintly hear Bruce as he talked but he was all but drowned out by the thoughts that rushed through his head.

He knew he was losing it. Everything became sharper, became more obvious. He could feel the cloth on his skin and the ground under his feet. Everything that he would be able to tune out became almost louder as the thoughts started to scream at him. He could feel himself as he rapidly lost grip on reality. His nails began to dig into his skin but he could barely feel them. The nails that raked up and down his arms, as they frantically attempted to keep him from slipping any further, barely even had an effect on him. He knew he couldn’t lose it there. They would lock him away for good. Send him to Arkham and trap him next to the man who had killed him. Being so near to him meant he would never recover, never snap out of the control the pit had over him. But he couldn’t help but wonder if he couldn’t take them all out before they got to him. They can’t take him to Arkham if they’re dead. After all, what had they ever done for him? Bruce gave him a home to stay in only to cast him out the second he got home. That’s all he ever was to him, only ever an obedient soldier. So when he decided to follow his own rules, Bruce had no need for him. Dick didn’t like him from the start. He tried to lock him away. Then there was the Replacement. How he wanted to wrap his hands around his neck and watch the life fade from his eyes. He took everything away from him, he deserved to die. Everyone there deserved to die. 

With his eyes shut tight he could faintly hear the conversation stop as the voices grew stronger. He could feel the blood as it smeared over his arms but he didn’t stop, he couldn’t stop. It was the only thing that was keeping him from attacking them, although that option was becoming more appealing by the second. He needed Roy, he needed to get out of there. But Roy wasn’t coming, did he even care about him. Sure they had moved in together and spent countless sleepless nights together but when he needed him the most he was gone. He had left him. He heard someone step towards him, the footsteps echoing as he felt them stepping towards him. 

“Don’t come near me,” He whispered through gritted teeth as the footsteps halted. He heard someone talking but the words seemed to blur together. He heard a deeper voice begin to speak, was it Bruce? At that point, he couldn’t tell and didn’t care.

“Bruce, restrain me and bring me to the cell,” His eyes snapped open as he stared at the ground in front of him. They had all moved away from him. Their faces all held looks of horror but he didn’t pause to notice them. Instead, he stared directly ahead at Bruce. His vision was completely green. “Do it now!” His chest heaved as he glared. Then they surged forward. Hands gripped him on all sides and he snapped.

He lashed out, his arms flew out and made contact with someone's face with a sickening crunch and he smiled. Suddenly he felt arms wrapping around him from behind. He trashed from side to side, if he was screaming he didn’t know. All he could hear was laughter. Laughter that filled his head until it fueled every punch, every kick. He was moving on instinct, not even noticing what he was doing as his body seemed to fight on its own. Eventually, he had escaped the strong grip and came face to face with Bruce. 

“Jason please, we’re not going to hurt you,” He said, his voice attempting to remain calm but Jason could hear the quiver of worry and fear in his voice. He looked around, all around him people lay scattered around. Some stood sporting bloodied lips as others were backing up slowly. 

“Oh right! Instead, you’re just going to watch, doing nothing like you always do! You never cared, you never cared about any of us!” He shouted while gesturing around. “You think you’re doing something so amazing for this city but in fact, you are the scum that needs to be eliminated and I think it’s time you died!” 

As Jason lunged forwards he could faintly hear someone screaming his name but it fell deft on his ears. He bent down as he moved, his hands wrapping around one of Dick’s escrima sticks that had been cast onto the floor at some point during the fight. Then he felt arms wrapping around him. Arms on every side that gripped him tightly and began to forcefully drag him across the room. He continued to thrash around, screaming words he didn’t even think of. All he could hear was laughter. Hands forced him down onto the bed and he couldn’t even tell who was there, they all looked the same in the green haze that consumed him. 

Jason yanked his arms from side to side, the leather restraints dug into his skin as the bed shook violently. He could hear someone next to him begin to talk. Their calm voice was a drastic difference from the shouting before. The words seemed calming but he couldn’t focus on what they were. Was he there for minutes, hours, days? Time seemed an impossible concept as he writhed on the bed. But as time went on he felt his limbs become heavy as his eyelids dropped. His body slowly gave out from the intense actions. Still, the voice continued speaking, continued reading. The voice became quieter and quieter until finally, his eyelids drooped shut. 

“Oh my god,” Jason whispered in shock as he looked down at his now shaking hands. He scooted backward, away from Roy until he felt the cold wall behind him. He watched in horror as Roy slowly moved towards him. “Don’t come any closer! I could hurt you!”

“I’m not going to come any closer don’t worry,” Roy said as he sat down on the bed. The mattress squeaking from the pressure. 

“I have to go,” Jason said suddenly, he looked up from his hands and stared at Roy intensely. “I have to go Roy, they're going to lock me up! They’re going to send me there and I’m going to be with him and-”

“Jason,” Roy cut him off as he smiled reassuringly. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I explained to them what happened and when you feel up to it I’m gonna take you home,”

“You can’t do that! What if I hurt you?”

“You won’t,”

“But what if I do! Roy, I just hurt everyone! They have a right to lock me up,” Roy bent down, he leaned over the bed before his fingers wrapped around the book. As he sat up he smiled softly. 

“And they don’t blame you for that. They know that wasn’t you. Besides, you haven’t had an episode in a really long time and we know what it was triggered by. There’s nothing like that at home. It’s the best place for you to go,” Jason paused for a moment as Roy’s words seeped in. Eventually, he nodded softly as he gently wrapped his arms around himself. Careful as to not aggravate his injuries. 

“What were you reading?” Roy looked down at the book before he turned as red as his hair. 

“I always try to read something to calm you down,”

“I know that,” Jason said as a small smile spread across his face. “But what was the book?”

“Hamlet,” Jason stared at him for a minute before he burst out laughing.

“You thought it would be a good idea to read me a book about murder and insanity?”

“It was the first book I found!” Roy argued. “I knew you liked it and it was next to our bed so I grabbed it. How was I supposed to know that?” 

“It’s Shakespeare, Roy, it’s always about murder.”

“Only you would know that,” Rou mumbled before he swung his feet over the side of the bed and stood slowly. He reached his arms up and bent backward slightly, he turned from side to side until his back cracked satisfyingly. Eventually, he lowered his arms before extending a hand to Jason. “Come on, let's go home,”

Jason looked at his hand with concern. He was still a risk and he would have much rather preferred to stay inside the cell, but Roy had a point. The cave would be full of material that could trigger another episode and their apartment would be the safest place to go. And if what Roy had told him about them trying to understand and keep him safe was true, then he supposed he had nothing to worry about. So he reached out, taking Roys callused hand in his.

“Let’s go home,”


End file.
